Room or space divider or decorative screen



My 22, 1969 A. M. SPENCER 3,456,711:

ROOM OR SPACE DIVIDER OR DECORATIVE SCREEN Filed March 6, 1967 INVENTOR. ARTHUR M SPENCER ATTOQ/VE) 3,456,711 ROOM OR SPACE DIVIDER OR DECORATIVE SCREEN Arthur M. Spencer, 364 Grand Ave., Leonia, NJ. 07605 Filed Mar. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 620,941

Int. Cl. A47h 23/04, 23/08; E061) 9/24 US. Cl. 160-332 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A decorative room or space divider, window treatment or screen which may be hung on a rod fixed to a wall or Window frame, and comprising decorative varied colored tiles or plaques in oifset parallel horizontal and vertical rows, with a decorative connector attached to a pair of vertically aligned tiles or plaques and a pair of horizontally aligned tiles or plaques.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to decorative space or room dividers, or window treatment or screens.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising a plurality of vertical and horizontal crossing rows of variously colored tiles or plaques, with the tiles or plaques of each horizontal and vertical row overlapping the tiles or plaques in adjacent horizontal and vertical rows, and with adjacent tiles in each horizontal row and with adjacent tiles in the vertical row between said adjacent plaques of the horizontal row, being connected by a connector.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the tiles and plaques are of the same shape and in which the plaques are hung from a rod, the ends of which are received in caps attached to a ceiling or to opposite sides of a window frame or to vertical walls.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of the character described, a connector comprising a ring carrying a central button and having offset fingers overlapping the tiles, and formed with holes registering with holes in the tiles to receive fastening means to attach the fingers to the tiles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durable device of the character described which shall be attractive in appearance, easy to assemble and to attach in place for use, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which Will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of said device;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the mounting of a screen on a supporting rod attached to vertical walls; and

nited States Patent 3,456,711 Patented July 22, 1969 Ice FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the attachment of the rod to a horizontal ceiling.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a divider or screen embodying the invention, suspended froma horizontal ceiling 11 as shown in FIG. 5. The device 10 comprises a pair of brackets 12 attached to the ceiling 11 by means of screws 13 or in any other suitable manner.

Attached to the center of each bracket 12 is a dome shaped hollow cap 14 formed With a round opening 15 on its horizontal axis. A supporting rod 16 has its ends inserted through openings 15 into the caps 14. Slidable on the rod 16 are a plurality of rings 17 each formed with a small eyelet 18 at its lower end for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

The screen itself comprises a plurality of similar decorative tiles or plaques 20 arranged in horizontal and vertical rows as shown in FIG. 1, with the tiles or plaques of adjacent horizontal and vertical rows overlapping the tiles or plaques of adjacent horizontal and vertical rows, respectively. Between the tiles 20 in the uppermost horizontal row may be interposed part tiles 20a. Tiles 20 are somewhat diamond shaped and may be made of plastic or wood. Preferably the tiles are of different colors. Each tile 20 has a small through opening 22 in each of its four corners. Thus, there are four holes 22 in each of the tiles 20. The tiles are more or less diamond shaped but with curved edges, so that ends of four tiles project toward a common center and these ends are all interconnected by a single connector 25.

The connector 25 comprises a metal ring 26 formed with a central round opening 27. Mounted in the center of the ring is a plastic disc, head or button 30 formed with an annular groove 31 at its periphery into which the inner edge of the ring at the hole 27, projects. Extending outwardly from the central annular portion 32 of the ring are four equiangularly spaced projections 33. Extending rearwardly from each projection 33, at right angles thereto, is a portion 34 from which a finger 35 extends outwardly. Each finger 35 is formed with an opening 36. The fingers 35 engage the rear surfaces of the tiles or plaques 20. The openings 36 register with the openings 22.

Means is provided for attaching the fingers 35 to the tiles or plaques 20. To this end, various fastening means may be passed through the registering openings 26, 32, such as tack and cap devices, screws, bolts or rivets. In the drawing there is shown a tack and cap device comprising a tack 37 having a shank or prong 38 passing through the openings 26, 32 and a cap 39 gripping the projecting end of the prong. Screw bolts may also be used for this purpose.

The part tiles 20a have horizontal upper edges 40. The upper ends of the uppermost tiles 20 and the upper ends of the part tiles 20a carry hooks 41 engaging the eyelets 18 of the rings 12.

The rods 16 may be attached as shown in FIG. 4 to caps 14 which are attached by screws 50 to brackets 51 which are attached by screws 52 to a vertical wall 53.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an article in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a plurality of crossing horizontal and vertical rows of tiles, with tiles of each of a plurality of horizontal rows being staggered with respect to the tiles of adjacent horizontal rows on opposite sides thereof and tiles of each of a plurality of vertical rows being staggered with respect to tiles of adjacent vertical rows on opposite sides thereof,

and connector means to connect each pair of adjacent tiles of a horizontal row with a pair of adjacent tiles of a vertical row located between said adjacent pair of tiles of the horizontal row.

2. The combination of claim 1, said connector means comprising a member having a pair of horizontal fingers overlapping the adjacent tiles of said horizontal row, and a pair of vertical fingers overlapping said adjacent tiles of the vertical row, said tiles having openings registering with the openings of the fingers, and fastening means extending through each pair of registering openings.

3. The combination of claim 1, a horizontal rod, rings on said rod, means to attach tiles of the uppermost horizontal row of tiles to said rings, and means to attach said rod to a support.

4. The combination of claim 2, said member having a center opening and a disc having an annular groove receiving the inner edge of the member, at said opening.

5. The combination of claim 1, said tiles being of generally diamond shape, and said connector means comprising a plurality of connector members each attached to the four adjacent points of said pair of adjacent tiles of a horizontal row and vertical row.

6. The combination of claim 5, each connector comprising a member having a first part parallel to the plane of said tiles, four parts oifset from said first part, and fingers extending from said offset parts and contacting said points of said tiles, and fastening means on said fingers engaging said points.

7. The combination of claim 5, each connector member comprising a ring provided with a pair of horizontal fingers overlapping the horizontal tiles and a pair of vertical fingers overlapping the vertical tiles and means to attach said fingers to said tiles.

8. The combination of claim 7, and a disc having an annular groove receiving the inner edge of the ring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 801,830 10/1905 Hall 160332. 1,133,966 3/1915 Hoye 160-332 1,487,794 3/1924 Melaun "160-332 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKI, Primary Eiraminer,

P. C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner 

